The Blunt Amendment Is The Latest Insanity! Women Becoming Female Nothings In America...

Updated on March 3, 2012

Women, Get Your Burquas Ready!

Roy Blunt, GOP Senator, has presented an amendment that would allow any company owner in America to pick and choose what health care coverage their employees receive based on religious or even moral grounds. If an employer doesn't believe in contraception, access to contraception will not have to be included in the insurance policies that employees get. If the employer doesn't believe in cancer screenings, they will not be covered, but it doesn't end there. This amendment will allow any business owner to block coverage for ANY and ALL medical treatment to which they have the ever ambiguous "moral" objections. The Republicans are trying to frame this as a freedom of religion issue. It is not! It is a "War on Women" issue, plain and simple.

The GOP and Phyllis Schlafly effectively killed the Equal Rights Amendment just 3 states shy of ratification, but that was not enough for them. They had not completely won their war against women and have decided that the time is now to finish the war, once and for all! Women must be put in their place; women must go back in time and lose any advances that, as a gender, we have fought for and won. Very few younger women know the history of the battles that were waged so that they could enjoy not only reproductive freedom, but the opportunity to work outside the home in an equitable labor market. The women who led the way in these fights for the civil rights of women were persecuted, slandered, threatened and intimidated every step of the way.

This latest assault on the rights of women to access preventive medicine currently being played out in the U.S. Congress is a call to all good "Shariah-style Christians" to come to the aid of their party. It began when Republican members of Congress attempted to redefine rape, as if some rapes are more valid than others... It progressed when Republican members of Congress attempted to defund Planned Parenthood and now, it has evolved to Republicans touting the evils of contraception, adequate prenatal care and even cancer screenings. Despite the facts, which clearly demonstrate that 98% of American women use or have used contraception, the 'Gray Old Party' ignores those facts and pushes ahead with their paternalistic and theocratic views that America must be protected from equal rights for women.

At this point in time, we are inches away from adopting the burqua as acceptable garb for women. While they are not currently proposing the burqua as standard wardrobe for women, every repressive idea that the garment represents is favored by the GOP: Women are property, women are not smart enough to make their own decisions and women must bow to the authority of men.

This effort by the GOP to strip American women of access to birth control is a battle they will lose. American women will NOT go back to being female nothings. The GOP can pretend that it is an issue of religious freedom. Hell! They can pretend it is anything they want to call it, but women will not sit still and they will not back down. Women are not property and they are more than baby-makers. For now, women make up more than half of the voters in this country, and the GOP would be wise to take notice.

We Are All "Sluts" Now! Misogyny In America!

We now know, thanks to the intellectual leader and grand poo-bah of the Republican party, Rush Limbaugh, that all women who expect access to preventive healthcare as part of their health insurance benefits are "sluts" or "prostitutes". Limbaugh, who doesn't even comprehend how contracetives work, equates the cost of the pill with how much sex you are having. In spite of his ignorance on the subject, he is GOP resident expert.

One of the most effective ways to silence women has been to call them hateful, demeaning names such as slut, whore, feminazi, etc. The theory has always been that if you are able to belittle or condemn the character of the messenger, you can derail or thwart the message. When women are the intended target of the hatred, the language is geared towards their sexual character. Call into play their 'virtue' or lack of it and suddenly the message is diluted, disrespected and disregarded.

That will not work this time, because we are all "sluts" now! Misogyny will not win this time. The name calling will not deter us. We will not be shamed or humiliated into silence. Not this time!

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Comments 25 comments

1) That lady in the photo doesn't want federal legislation regarding her vagina, but she DOES want Roe v. Wade AND ObamaCare?

Hypocrisy

2) You think that I should have to pay for your health care?

Give me a break. Claim ownership of yourself.

You want REAL empowerment? Pay for your own way.

Jillian Barclay 4 years ago from California, USA Author

Pay your own way?

How dare you suggest that I, or other women don't pay their own way!

Sorry, Evan, but women pay for their health insurance, too, and part of that policy premium also pays for YOUR health care coverage. Guess what? My policy premium even goes to pay for those ED drugs ($10 to $15 per pill) which I will never use. There are many things that I pay for with my healthcare premium dollars that I will never use.

You want to get rid of health insurance? Or that as a man you think you have the right, authority and knowledge to decide what women's healthcare should consist of?

Little Nell 4 years ago from Somerset, UK

I was chilled by this article - and found it hard to believe. No, no, I am not doubting you for a minute but here in England we don't have to argue for the right to work, or the right to birth control, or maternity leave or - heaven help us - to cancer treatment. Truly parts of the US are like it was in the fifties here.

Jillian Barclay 4 years ago from California, USA Author

Dear Little Nell,

It was like that in the fifties here, too! Seems like many in the U.S. want to go back to that time...Our Republican party may not believe in evolution, but they certainly subscribe to the theory of devolution!

The political climate of my country IS chilling right now! But we won't go back! I know that this is not happening in Europe and have been aware of that for quite some time. Thank God! This type of mentality is more than dangerous. It needs to be stopped here before it spreads!

Thank you for reading this, Little Nell. Women the world over have to stand up for each other!

UnnamedHarald 4 years ago from Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Obviously some people don't understand the main idea behind insurance-- spread the risk around. And if you lose your job in this country, you need to find expensive, crappy individual health insurance to replace it-- if they'll have you. But for healthy filthy-rich people it's a pretty nice gig. Nice article; voted up and interesting.

Jillian Barclay 4 years ago from California, USA Author

Thank you, UnnamedHarald,

You are right, of course! Alot of people do not understand the concept of health insurance, and moreover, the health insurance companies would much rather pay for the cost of the pill than a pregnancy. They would nuch rather pay for cancer screenings than cancer and they would much rather pay for prenatal care than sick babies!

I have had to fight insurance companies countless times in an effort to get them to pay those multi-million dollar sick baby bills!

Gemini Fox 4 years ago

Here's the funny part: I think that the utter insanity that is going on right now regarding insurance and women's rights will actually open the door even more to people understanding exactly how backwards it is to tie your health insurance and therefore your health to an employer (and their whims) rather than have socialized medicine - which, by the nature of it, would separate church from state and thereby put an end to all this nonsense.

Keep up the good work, Jillian!

HSchneider 4 years ago from Parsippany, New Jersey

Great article, Jillian. The GOP never fail to seize an opportunity to trample upon women's rights. They have such complete arrogance to believe they know what's best for women. Of course, most are men and they are not looking to disallow viagra or treatments for erectile dysfunction. If we are being intellectually consistent, aren't these men also sluts?

Danette Watt 4 years ago from Illinois

Too much weirdness in this country. Politicians (of all types) need to stay out of social issues and stay focused on political issues -- economy, foreign policy, etc. I recommend reading The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood if you've never read it.

How about this one:

A controversial bill targeting single parents came to the table at the Senate Committee on Public Health, Human Services and Revenue public hearing in Wisconsin this week.

State senator Glenn Grothman, an admitted opponent of the social welfare establishment that he believes encourages women to have children out of wedlock, introduced Senate Bill 507, which would formally consider single parenthood a contributing factor to child abuse, if passed into law.

SB507 would require the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board to emphasize that non-marital parenthood is a contributing factor to child abuse and neglect.

Jillian Barclay 4 years ago from California, USA Author

Dear Gemini Fox,

How right you are! I know that I sound like a broken record, but health care and profit should not go hand in hand. Now we have to add individual morality of employers to the mix? I cannot help but think that this is all a pretense to rid us of the ability to get health insurance at all. All of these fake issues are a way to bolster the idea that employers can't afford to help provide insurance coverage for their employees and a way for insurance companies to justify their greed every time they raise premiums.

Dear HSchneider,

You always put everything into perspective. You are such a smart man!

Dear Danette,

Glenn Grothman is a truly frightening man! I have not heard of SB507 (will be finding out more), but anything that Grothman does is sangerous. He is a nut!

UnnamedHarald 4 years ago from Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Since they are run for profit, companies have no incentive to cure anyone if they can keep people permanently on medications "controlling" their health issues. Those "socialist", "communistic", "un-American" countries (you know, the majority of the developed world and many undeveloped nations) that provide their citizens with national healthcare would definitely benefit from "cures" as it's in their interest to reduce cost-- not maximize profit.

chefsref 4 years ago from Citra Florida

Hey Jillian, Excellent as usual.

One thing that troubles me is; Why do women put up with this kind of crap? Women should be in control in this country simply because they outnumber men. The sad truth is that too many women accept being controlled by the powers that want to keep them underpaid, barefoot and pregnant.

A heads up to Evan Rogers, under the affordable care act everyone will have to buy PRIVATE health insurance. Under the system as it has existed, anyone can choose not to buy health insurance and use the emergency room for their health care. SO, when someone cannot pay the bill, YOU pay with taxes and higher insurance costs. Personally,I am about to lose my health insurance and have been denied private insurance. Allow me to thank you in advance; if I use the emergency room it is gratifying to know that you and other rugged individuals are willing to pay extra to cover my bills. When that damned "Obamacare" is fully instituted, insurance companies will no longer be allowed to deny me coverage and I will have to pay my own way. What an outrage, paying for my own insurance is socialism that must be stopped.

Sooner28 4 years ago

@Jillian,

To me, the blunt Amendment seemed like it was a back-handed attempt to try to reduce the cost of coverage to employers. Oh I have a moral objection to this or that, therefore I will not pay to cover it!

Anyway, back to contraception. Isn't it amazing how, at the hearing with Darrell Issa, no women were allowed to even testify? What a world! The evangelicals are a major block of the Republican party, and many of them believe women should be subordinate to men. They also see sex outside of wedlock (even if you have been together for awhile, and it's not a one night stand) as immoral. So the Republicans MUST at least pander to them in word, even if not in ultimate policy. Jerry Falwell may be dead, but the Moral Majority's influence is still around.

American Romance 4 years ago from America

Interesting comments: Did everyone see Obamas press conference today? He babbled something about how he hopes his daughters can someday say what is on their hearts with the type of discourse Rush threw out there!........Never mind that Obamas superpac committee accepted ONE MILLION DOLLARS from Bill Maher who called Palin a SLUT! and has demeaned Backman and others including Christians!............what do you libs think of this?..........Shouldn't Obama give the million dollars back after that speech he gave?

Jillian Barclay 4 years ago from California, USA Author

American Romance,

First, Obama doesn't have the money. I am sure you realize that the Supreme Court has essentially made it legal for anyone to donate money to any PAC. And just like Romney says all the time, the candidates can have no control over the PAC's that support them. Romney says that any communication with them or any direction offered them would be illegal...

shea duane 4 years ago from new jersey

Great hub! "Hey, I have an idea... let's blame women for everything that's wrong with this country. Maybe then they'll stop trying to get equal pay!"

Pretty soon, these idiots will try to take away our right to vote.

American Romance 4 years ago from America

Jillian, REALLY? THAT; was your answer? Obama doesn't have the money? His pac certainly RECIEVED the money! Besides its the principle! ...........so I assume by your remark that you approve of Maher calling Palin a cunt but Rush saying a woman claiming to need 3000 a year for birth control is not a whore? Anyone can get a prescription from planned parenthood and get generic birth control for 5 dollars a month from Walmart. That comes up to 60 dollars per year? She may not be a technical whore but what do you call her?? A nympho?

Jillian Barclay 4 years ago from California, USA Author

Actually, American Romance, I do not go for the name calling on either side. I find it abhorrent when Maher does it and feel the same way when Limbaugh does it. I thought you would know that I was just trying to get a reaction from you.

And I also do not appreciate YOU suggesting that anyone that you may disagree with is a nympho, but you already knew that...

I also hate the idea of PAC's, on both sides. I don't think our elections should be bought by the people who can afford to buy them...

shea duane 4 years ago from new jersey

Jillian, I think there is a difference between calling a public figure a name (although I think that is terrible also, especially when it is gender-specific) and calling a private citizen a name when she is not seeking fame or public office. Calling Palin a slut was wrong... unfit for office would have been more appropriate. If Limbaugh had said something similar, none of this would be happening. Another difference, I believe, is that so many people are calling Limbaugh an 'entertainer' when he is really a 'talking head' political commentator. People can relate Limbaugh's comments to comments made about Palin or Bachman, but there is a shade of difference. Further, Limbaugh has free speech just as we do, and if we are more offended by the name-calling of private citizens, we have the right to say so.

Jillian Barclay 4 years ago from California, USA Author

Dear Shea Duane,

I believe there is a difference between the two. As far as Limbaugh being an entertainer, I think not! The vast majority of Republicans in elected positions are terrified of offending him and that is one of the reasons that they will not speak out against him. There is also a second reason, I think. They agree with him!

Limbaugh, the entertainer, has the ability to ruin political careers on the right.

Dare I say, most people took a look at this young, well-spoken law student and saw in her their daughters and granddaughters. I know that I did. It was a personal attack against a young woman who was attacking no one. She was simply a private citizen prepared to offer testimony to Congress regarding the health needs of women where she goes to school.

By the way, thank you for being a teacher! The current anti-teacher climate in this country baffles me. What are these people thinking? Most of us love teachers and believe they need not only more money, but respect and thanks...

Please teach our young adults that they have the responsibility to stand up and speak out, regardless of their opinions...We need them!

shea duane 4 years ago from new jersey

Thanks Jillian. I appreciate your hub and your voice, too. Keep up the good work!

Credence2 4 years ago from Florida (Space Coast)

Jillian, misogyny peeking?

Why the focus on female reproductive activity, we don't have all this contention over male sexuality or having a gall bladder removed. The focus is the phony rightwing moral priggishness and hypocrisy associated with religious evangelicals.

I am a partner in the need to smash the political right and discredit them to the point only the "dead" as you spoke about in a previous article, would vote for them next November. Cred2

Jillian Barclay 4 years ago from California, USA Author

Thank you, Credence2,

I have missed you! Count me in as your partner! Actually, it is the brain dead we must target...Didn't realize there were so many...

I had heard about some female legislators introducing bills like this in their statehouses. I think it is great!Certainly, if women are not intelligent enough to make medical choices without the "protection" that men think we need, then we should try to "protect" them, too!